Access to business financing is a major challenge for entrepreneurs and could mean the difference between starting and sustaining a business. According to the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) 72% of micro-enterprises and 40% of small enterprises are currently owned by women in South Africa. As such, government and the private sector have established programmes and funds primarily aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs in South Africa.
Confirmed speakers include Charlton Thangalan, provincial manager, enterprise development at Absa Business Bank Gauteng, Justice Kganyago, COO at IDF Capital and Conny Phaswana, enterprise development, business relationship manager at The Innovation Hub.
“Absa has setup a Women Empowerment Fund for South African women that permanently reside within the borders of South Africa,” says Thangalan. “We look forward to sharing our economic development value proposition with the business owners who will attend as well as information on our developmental funding mechanisms and how funding applications are accessed.”
Absa will also offer registered companies that attend the panel discussion free one-on-one consultations with an Absa enterprise development consultant to render needs analysis if they qualify to their specific recommendations.
While The Innovation Hub does not offer financing, it facilitates access to funding by linking entrepreneurs to relevant funding institutions. “The Innovation Hub supports female entrepreneurs through the various incubation programmes such as Climate Innovation Centre (CIC), MAXUM, eKasi Labs and BioPark. The programmes support business with non-financial support at different stages of the businesses,” adds Phaswana, who encourages entrepreneurs who will be attending to gather as much information as possible.
“This is an opportunity to engage with the relevant stakeholders and to get clarity where it is needed. Networks are very important in business and anyone starting a business or in business understands that networking opportunities are the way to go, as meeting people always leads to business leads.”
Tickets cost R500. To purchase tickets, email Nasedi Media & Communications on moc.aidemidesan@ofni or call +27 (0) 10 593 0595/ 081 868 8201.
